Nia DaCosta's 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple was met with glowing reviews from critics (92% on Rotten Tomatoes) upon release, and the consensus among fans was that the sequel was an improvement over Danny Boyle's previous film.
Even so, the latest installment in the "zombie" franchise bombed at the box office, taking in just $58 million worldwide. The movie did have a relatively low production budget ($63 million), but this was obviously viewed as a disappointing result.
Though trade reports have claimed that the trilogy will be completed, the poor BO performance of both previous films has made it difficult for many to believe that the studio would take a gamble on a third.
Even so, Boyle has now reaffirmed that "28 Years Later 3" is moving forward.
"Quite when I’m not sure, but there’s a script – a very good script by Alex Garland,” the filmmaker said during an appearance at the Zurich Film Festival. “[It will have] a lot of Cillian Murphy in it... Whether he’ll take his kit off anymore, that I don’t know. He’s got the Oscar now.”
Cillian Murphy's protagonist from the original 28 Days Later, Jim, returned in the final moments of The Bone Temple.
During a recent interview with Empire, DaCosta admitted to being surprised by The Bone Temple's box office underperformance, but said she is very proud of the film.
“It’s so funny, because literally every barometer we use in the industry to determine whether or not a movie is good, and people like it and want to see it, was through the roof, and yet our box office wasn’t there. I made a great film, and I’m really proud of it, and people liked it.”
The Bone Temple arrived in theaters less than a year after its predecessor, and DaCosta speculates that this may have had something to do with its frosty reception.
"[It was] maybe too soon, because people were like, ‘Oh yeah, I saw that last summer!’ I’m like, ‘No, no, so there’s a sequel!’”
“My friend said to me years ago, ‘Nia, your career is for you to enjoy,’ and I really have been trying to put that into practice and take that to heart over the course of the past few years,” she continued. “And so when this came out and it didn’t do as well in terms of the money it made, I was disappointed. But I also was like, ‘I’m so happy that when people find the film, they’re going to enjoy the film.’ I wish it made more money, but I’m really proud of it.”
The movie's official synopsis reads:
"Expanding upon the world created by Danny Boyle and Alex Garland in 28 Years Later but turning that world on its head – Nia DaCosta directs 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. In a continuation of the epic story, Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) finds himself in a shocking new relationship – with consequences that could change the world as they know it – and Spike’s (Alfie Williams) encounter with Jimmy Crystal (Jack O’Connell) becomes a nightmare he can’t escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat to survival – the inhumanity of the survivors can be stranger and more terrifying."